


This Was Us Then

by Jemppu



Series: Honey Mushroom [1]
Category: Star Trek: Discovery
Genre: Art, Culmets - Freeform, Digital Art, Fanart, M/M, Sexual Content, Tumblr, honey mushroom, honey mushroom: months
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-22
Updated: 2018-07-22
Packaged: 2019-06-13 13:44:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15365940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jemppu/pseuds/Jemppu
Summary: Part of"Honey Mushroom"series of illustrated Culmets momentslisted here on tumblr, and a"Months"one, taking place before the couple's ultimate Discovery mission.Hugh has been invited along again on another one of Paul's engagements on behalf of the Stamets-Straal team. The men are sharing a room for the first time and seem quite in tune with each other on what to do with it.With illustration:"Eager"





	This Was Us Then

**Author's Note:**

> The series gets released quite out of order, as inspiration dictates, so I urge you to check out the [series list on tumblr](https://tinyurl.com/honeyshroom) for a better picture of the whole, and to get more 'emotional value' out if it, I'd argue - because as of now I post here only the few most intimately detailed bits - the ones too delicate for "general audience" consumption.
> 
> Fair warning for this following one: you may need to read the next installment _"Commander Stamets of the Starship Hugh"_ right after, for 'full experience'.

 

 

 

## Months: This Was Us Then 

 

Luckily there's no-one in the elevator with them; Paul can't seem to keep his hands off of Hugh.

"C'mon", Hugh chuckles at the man with his hands excitedly all over the doctor. Hugh is glancing at the elevator's floor display, "there's someone coming in next floor".  
  
"Lucky them", Paul murmurs huskily in the doctor's ear, "I want to be the one coming in ne...", just then the elevator dings, indicating a stop. Paul's hands quickly pull off and he takes a step back right as the doors open.  
  
Hugh is still struggling to stifle his laughter, and can't help a chuckle from escaping, as two elder gentlemen enter the elevator just then and Hugh gets not one, but two looks thrown at him: one curiously confused, other irritably disapproving. _"Damn you, Stamets"_ , Hugh continues the laughter internally, showing but a subdued, sorry smile outwards.  
  
One of the men seems to know full well what went on here and they don't seem to approve one bit. They keep throwing irate glances over their shoulder at the apologetically smiling doctor. Only relenting the scorn after the other man whispers something to them.  
  
Paul is all smiles, looking on amused in his own corner. Seemingly not one bit sorry either.  
  
An awkward silence falls into the elevator as the men - all four of them - eagerly wait for their stop. Each for their own reasons, surely. And Paul keeps staring at Hugh with distractingly hungry eyes, which Hugh is trying his best to ignore, but can't help but to smile at.  
  
The elevator comes to a halt with a ding, and the two elderly men get off just a floor before Hugh and Paul. As they step out, Hugh follows them with his gaze and catches the couple disappear into the adjacent corridor holding hands.  
  
The realization in Hugh's head has him beaming. "That was us!", he turns to smile at Paul and sighs longingly.  
  
Paul doesn't get it, but doesn't bother to ask either - he makes the mistake of letting the remark pass unremarked.  
  
Of course he doesn't know it yet.  
  
There will be so many other things Paul will recall from this weekend in the future, that he won't even remember this elevator ride.  
  
He won't get Hugh's remark until years from now, when one late night on the Discovery he will be riding the turbolift back to their home aboard, after yet another exhausting day, after he will have broken yet another evening plan with Hugh and will recall back to this exact weekend in the early days of their relationship.  
  
After that, this will become something he won't be able **not**  to often come back to, as he will remember this weekend was the first time Hugh had indicated of an idea of the two of them together in an old age still, even before he himself ever had similar thoughts.  
  
He will lament, that he didn't get it back then - doesn't get it right now.  
  
Right now he's blissfully unaware. Only filled with this all new excitement, eager to get to their room with his fetching officer. And he'd be all over him right now even, if it wasn't only one more floor.  
  
The elevator finally reaches their floor and the two briskly walk out to the corridors. Paul takes Hugh's hand to escort him to the room. Likely to make sure the man doesn't delay.  
  
They are seemingly quite alone, but still not a word gets exchanged during the corridor rush. There's deliberate determination in both of their pace. The only sounds are their brisk, even steps and the roll of Hugh's luggage, all muffled by the soft carpeting on the floor.  
  
Hugh can feel Paul's thumb making distinctive circular rubbing motions against his palm - something he will later learn to recognize and get very familiar with as another one of  Paul's 'ticks': a sign of excitement - the small release for when ever the man tries to suppress or conceal his affection.  
  
Paul gets the room key card out of his pocket well before they reach their door, just to have it ready quickly.  
  
They enter the room in a hurry. Hugh pushes his luggage aside. Paul kicks off his shoes. As soon as the door behind them clicks shut, the men are onto each other.  
  
Paul graps Hugh by his collar and goes to kiss him hungrily. Hugh replies just as eagerly, cupping the man's face in his hands. Paul then pushes Hugh to sit on the edge of a bed, and climbs on top - on the doctor's lap.  
  
Paul's eagerness is really turning Hugh on right now. The man seems arousingly lacking of his usual inhibitions, and Hugh can't wait to experience how true this really is of Paul in throws of passion.  
  
Hugh moves his hands down on the man's hips, which are currently achingly grinding against him. Paul smiles upon the touch, but moans reluctantly as he finally has to let go of their lip-lock to gasp for air. Hugh feels a frustrated tug on his collar.  
  
"How does this function?" Paul seems to struggle figuring out the uniform collar. He's never had to strip off a Starfleet uniform before.  
  
Hugh lets go of the hips to assist.  
  
"Aah, I see", Paul examines the doctor's example, "lucky I don't have to wear something this restrictive to work every day", he eyes the jacket in full.  
  
Paul seems momentarily more interested in the garment, than the man inside it.  
  
"You're not forgetting something, Stamets, are you?", Hugh chuckles at Paul, who is currently running his fingers across the jacket's silver colored shoulder ridges, counting them inaudibly.  
  
"Do these denote rank?" Paul asks, and Hugh rolls his eyes: the researcher seems to have found something he wishes to expand his knowledge on right now.  
  
"This does", Hugh points to the badge on his chest, "along with the department".  
  
"Yeah, that's obviously Medical", Paul examines the cross symbol on the badge. Rather old timey iconography, isn't it?  
  
At least Paul's not completely lost on the situation, as his other hand pulls open the jacket zipper and goes on underneath to explore Hugh's chest through the undershirt.  
  
"And this was what?" Paul asks, running his thumb across the small 'dots' on the badge. He should remember Hugh's rank by now, shouldn't he, "Commanding Lieutenant?"  
  
"Lieutenant Commander", Hugh corrects, smiling at Paul's curiosity, "one on top of Lieutenant". He loves, how the man is just finding out about these things, that have been such a norm for Hugh himself for most of his life.  
  
Paul's other thumb has found something similar to the badge pips - a nipple - and is busily teasing it hard. Paul then grabs the jacket and pulls it over Hugh's shoulder.  
  
Finally! - Hugh thinks, and goes on to pull the rest of the jacket off on cue.  
  
Paul leans in to kiss the doctor and grabs the jacket from his hand.  
  
"Hmh!?" Hugh mumbles into the kiss surprised.  
  
Paul pulls back and smiles playfully, then promptly puts the jacket on himself. It is so obviously not cut for him, but dang, Hugh is loving the look on Paul.  
  
His hands on Paul's hips move down to rub the man's thighs.  
  
Paul goes on to massage Hugh's midriff, appreciating the sharp muscle definition, distinctive even through the top. He's glad to finally have his hands here.  
  
Hugh's hands are now firmly kneading Paul's pelvis, his thumbs nicely pressing against the man's groin with  satisfying circular motions, sending sharp pleasurable flashes through his body.  
  
"Who's on top of Lieutenant Commander then?" Paul asks playfully, and lets out a pleased short exhale as his abdominal muscles tense pleasingly under Hugh's touch.  
  
Sneaky, Stamets, sneaky - Hugh smiles knowingly. He can see he's being lead on, and decides to skip to the point. "Aren't you?" he smirks as Paul leans in for another kiss.  
  
The doctor's hand continues to rub Paul through his pants.  
  
"Mm-hmm", Paul hums agreeingly against Hugh's lips, delighted how well the doctor seems to understand him. "If you'll let me", he leans back a bit and smiles self-satisfied.  
  
"Any time, mushroom daddy", Hugh smiles back, and squeezes Paul firmly through his pants for emphasis.  
  
Paul lets out a deep, short gasp and shifts on Hugh's lap, while directly gazing into the doctor's eyes, letting the man see his satisfaction. And Hugh does - the doctor is surprised, how he can almost feel the squeeze himself through Paul's telling expression.  
  
Paul smiles selfsatisfied and lifts the doctor's top out of the way to have full access to those nipples he's been playing with through the fabric.  
  
And there it is too, that trail of gorgeous dark hair: sight of which has but teased him in passing few times now. Paul traces his hand through it, up along the lenght of the doctor's torso and bends down to plant kisses across the man's chest, which is heaving enticingly against his lips.  
  
Hugh starts pulling Paul's shirt out of his pants, and Paul takes the moment to strip off the uniform jacket.  
  
He leans back giving Hugh better access to opening his shirt, while he himself plays with the doctor's zipper, hoping for access there.  
  
Hugh opens the shirt and pulls it off the man's shoulders. He is still newly in love with this thick white hair covering the man's body in strategic few places - right now visibly displayed before him on the man's arms. But he is curious to see, if there's more underneath that top as well.  
  
He strokes Paul's forearm, running his fingers through the fluffy hair, and traces it down and between the two of them, where they meet Paul's hands, eagerly rubbing Hugh through his uniform pants.  
  
Their hands dance a while together in between themselves. Fondling each other, in the increasingly tight space in between.  
  
Hugh is quite taken aback how intensely Paul is suddenly gazing at him in the eyes. Like trying to stare directly into him. It feels... immensely intimate. Hugh isn't quite sure he knows how to answer to it.  
  
Paul smiles at the man. He is loving the doctor's delicate hands on himself, but what is really getting him off right now is seeing the man enjoy his touch.  
  
"Fuck, these are tight", Paul remarks on Hugh's pants as his hand goes on firmly massaging the distinctive contours bulging through the unforgiving white fabric, "aren't these painful to wear?"

"They're rather soft actually", Hugh laughs, "and I hardly ever need to wear them while at full mast".  
  
_"Hardly ever"?_ Paul wonders in his mind. Accounting this time surely, or has there been other instances? He can't help but suddenly smile thankful.  
  
"What?" Hugh asks, smiling curiously back at the man's sudden apparent amusement.  
  
"Nothing", Paul hums pleased, "just appreciating where I am".  
  
On top of this gorgeous hunk of a man, who's currently still busy trying to get access to Paul's pants. And such access must surely be granted.  
  
Paul stands up from the bed to unzip his pants.  
  
Hugh - more than conveniently positioned right then - grabs the man by his hips and pulls him in closer. He lifts the top off enough to kiss the man's abdomen, while easing the pants down.  
  
"Wait..." Paul jolts awkwardly, his voice suddenly has a hint of hesitation in it, "I'd rather you didn't...".  
  
He seems unsure - not able to finish the sentence.  
  
His posture somewhat freezes to where it is, not daring to make an effort to stop Hugh or to encourage him to go on either. Unexpectedly Paul has a certain air of resignation about him as a plethora of emotions seems to run through his mind - all visible on his face, all too open for Hugh to read.  
  
"What?" Hugh asks confused, looking up to Paul, pausing his hands from pulling down the man's underwear.  
  
"I'd rather you didn't... go that way", Paul repeats - pursing his lips - this time without hesitation, and puts his hands over Hugh's hands resting on his hips.  
  
"Seriously?" Hugh is admittedly somewhat frustrated by this sudden shift in determination, but tries his best to collect himself and not let it show through.  
  
Paul looks down at this gorgeous, gentle and caring man sitting there in front of him, beautiful even with that look of confusion in his eyes. How does he explain this? He has hard time explaining it to himself even.  
  
But, he doesn't like the thought of seeing Hugh this way. He doesn't care to see or even think about 'ramming' himself into that face. The thought alone is currently putting a serious frown of discomfort on his face.  
  
Hugh sees Paul's brows furrow. The openness in the man's gaze is quickly fading away, and the doctor can't quite tell if what he's seeing now is anger, irritation... disgust?  
  
"Okay...", Hugh utters dryly, surprised by what he thinks he's seeing on the man's face. He releases Paul's hips and sits back on the bed to lean on his hand, "that revolting, huh?" He unfortunately fails to hide the hurt in his voice, which Paul was desperate to try and avoid.  
  
"Hugh...", Paul sighs with a mix of irritation and apology in his voice, "I'd love you to... work it?". He has hard time coming up with words to fit the circumstance, "any other way, but just..."  
  
"Don't put my mouth on you?" Hugh is still trying to figure out, what Paul's problem is.  
  
"Not how I meant it", Paul shoots back firmly and furrows his brows further, irked by this situation - and for having to have to try so hard to convey his intention.   
  
"Rather, I don't want - **it-** on your face", he says with strong conviction in his voice.  
  
Hugh looks at Paul questioningly as he tries to process this newfound perspective. He is finding it hard not to smile at the earnest seriousness on the man's face. His confusion slowly subsides as the faint realization of what the issue in Paul's head might be gradually takes hold. Is it actually rather... sweet?  
  
Though, how he understands it, still totally unfounded in Hugh's opinion.  
  
"Oh, honey", Hugh finally can't help, but smile at the man sympathetically, "come here, you tremendous man". He puts his arms around Paul's pleasantly robust waist and hugs him, cheek against the man's comfortably soft belly. Goodness, this man is built for snuggling.  
  
Hugh shouldn't really be surprised, should he? Wasn't this exactly the kind of vulnerable and tender soul, he had seen hidden beneath that harsh, bratty attitude the moment they met.  
  
Hugh releases Paul from the embrace to let the man sit down on the bed next to him. Paul kicks off the pants around his ankles.  
  
"You don't like to get sucked at all, or is it just the idea you don't like?", Hugh tries to ask carefully, unsure how bluntly to address the issue without causing further discomfort for the man.  
  
Paul lets out a frustrated sigh, they really have to discuss this through, don't they, "of course I 'like it' like it...", Paul huffs.  
  
"It's just the thought - of the sight of you down there, with that... 'thing' in your mouth, all...".  
  
Fuck, why is this so difficult?  
  
Hugh doesn't try to guess the man's inner workings anymore to avoid confusing the issue further. The only things his own mind comes up with to finish the sentence don't sound bad at all. He faintly smiles at his own thoughts, while stroking Paul's back encouragingly.  
  
"...submissive?" Paul tries to find the right words, "it just seems so... demeaning".  
  
And suddenly the issue seems clear as day - Hugh is finding himself continuously surprised by the man's sensitivity. "Oh, honey. No", the doctor puts his hand on the man's shoulder and rubs it comfortingly, "you don't need to feel it's like that".  
  
He finally understands, and it's so frustratingly sweet the way the man seems to think, Hugh feels sorry for having gotten upset the way he did.  
  
"I don't see it at all like that myself", Hugh explains, "for me it feels very empowering to give pleasure like that".  
  
"Really? You like it?" Paul lifts his eyes at Hugh below his brows with a look of disbelief, confused as to how could anyone.  
  
"Yes", Hugh answers without hesitation, "Obviously, if I didn't, I wouldn't do it. But there is a certain feeling of being in control there", the doctor smiles reassuringly, "I mean, how much more in one's grasp could a man surrender themselves to".  
  
There's a point there, which Paul hasn't really considered before - not that he has ever wasted much of his time pondering these sort of things anyway. But this thought alone is making him feel more okay with the issue. He doesn't necessarily fully agree with it personally, but understands Hugh's point very well now.  
  
"I'm being a total prude to you, aren't I", Paul laughs awkwardly, and puts his hand down on the doctor's lap to feel what's left of the 'passion' there.  
  
Hugh smiles and looks at the man. "A bit perhaps, but it's okay, honey", he strokes the back of Paul's neck. "I won't lie: I did feel a bit 'insulted', where I shouldn't have", the doctor lets out a little laugh, "but I get it, and there is nothing wrong with thinking the way you do".  
  
Hugh kisses Paul's forehead, then leans his own against it, staring lovingly into Paul's eyes, "but, if you ask me it's quite unnecessary: the way you are being overwhelmingly gallant with this...".  
  
He pulls back a bit and looks at the man playfully, "because I'd love to have _"it on my face"_ ", he teases affectionately.  
  
"Oh, shut up", Paul cringes at the sound of his off-the-cuff words being echoed back at him. Still can't help, but to smile at them amused through his frown either.  
  
Hugh smiles back. He now realizes Paul might not have too 'adventurous' a past in this area, and likely just needs more time to get comfortable with certain things. And Hugh is certainly eager to be there with the man to make discoveries - maybe learn new things himself along the way: a man of Paul's vast imagination surely must have a thing or two to show him as well.

Hugh leans in to kiss Paul, and acknowledges the man's curious hand on his lap by reaching to it. Then moves on to stroke the man's arm, appreciating the hairiness of it again: he would love for this softness to some day become the familiar thing he gets to wake up next to in bed each morning.

 

_\--- End of part 1 ---_

 

_Next up:[Commander Stamets of the Starship Hugh](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15380754)_

 

**Author's Note:**

> More thoughts on the work will be posted along with the illustration on [**tumblr**](http://jmalkki.tumblr.com/post/176155693279/eager-accompanying-image-to-narrative-this-was).
> 
>  
> 
> _Likes, shares, comments and what have you, all appreciated on:_  
>  _[ **tumblr**](http://jmalkki.tumblr.com/) | [**twitter**](https://twitter.com/Jemppu) | [**instagram**](https://www.instagram.com/jeminamalkki/) | [**DeviantArt**](https://www.deviantart.com/jemppu)_


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